CHARLES Graham’s letter published in the Gazette (‘Democracy?’, Postbag, May 6) was so apposite in this surreal world about the fragility of democracy today. 

There is the likelihood of a move toward totalitarianism by the incumbent Conservative Government in Westminster. 

It is displaying all the symptoms of wanting to retain power for life, reminiscent of the Chinese Communist Party clampdown on citizens rights in Hong Kong or the behaviour of the Putin regime in Russia towards opposition there.

The “muted acquiescence” of the Labour and Liberal Democrats plus the lack of consultation against this trend is to be deplored and a rapid programme of reassertion of human rights be restored.

What is needed is a united anti-Tory response from all including perhaps possible moderate Tory voters who are also unhappy at the erosion of human rights.

The government should immediately undertake the following measures to distant themselves from these trends. 

Firstly, it should transfer much further its powers to local communities. This means arresting the “top down” dictats from Whitehall and seek to find common ground with local people. 

It means restoring planning powers to local councils. It means recognising that they are servants of the people and not their masters.

Secondly, they must heed the scientists warnings on climate change and global heating that is already reaching a point of no return. It is likely to leave future generations to suffer the rise in temperatures by more than the 1.5% expected by 2030 if we are to have any chance of reducing rising sea levels and melting glaciers and as a result, putting more methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

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Thirdly, the elections on May 6 should have been followed up by the incumbent Conservative government to ask much more, especially from young people, what they could expect from them by the time of the climate change world conference taking place in November in Glasgow.

It really is necessary to take action to restore especially these young people’s chances of not having a future blighted by our current politicians failure to address the real needs of the world in 2021.

Our MP, Rebecca Pow in Taunton, is the current Minister for the Environment and not for the first time I plead with her to really exercise her influence over 10 Downing Street and attain some real changes that are simply not platitudinous and give us all hope for the long term future of our planet.

JEFFERSON HORSLEY
Taunton